Steam cooker and presser.



No. 775,827. PATBNTED NOV. 22, 1904. A. J. KETELSEN.

STEAM COOKER AND PRESSBR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 29, 1303.

Attorney? No. :"rasa'r.

Patented November 5352, FLEMMI iuuc ANDREW J. KETELSEN, OF SEATTLE,\VASHlNG-TON.

STEAM QOQKER AND PHESSEH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 775,827, dated November22, 1904..

Application filed July 29, 1903.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW J. Kn'rnLsnN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of VVashington,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam Cookers andPressers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention,'such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in presses, and particularly tothat class of presses in which any kind of vegetable or animal mattermay be inclosed and subjected to the cooking action of heat or steam andsubjected to pressure for extracting the liquids therefrom while thematerial is kept softened through the action of the heat or steam.

The invention consists in a press provided with a perforatedpress-casing, a plunger moving therein, and means for introducing heator steam for softening the material to be pressed.

It also consists in a cooking and pressing mechanism comprising acylindrical perforated receptacle, a plunger mounted so as toreciprocate therein, means for feeding material into said cylindricalreceptacle, and means for heating the interior of the mechanism. 1

It also consists in certain other novel constructions, combinationaandarrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described andclaimed.

In the accompanying drawingsligure 1 is a vertical longitudinal centralsection through a press embodying the features of this invention. Fig. 2is a transverse vertical section taken upon the line a 6 of Fig. 1.

This invention contemplates a pressing means and a feeding and stirringmechanism for receiving and handling all kinds of vegetable and animalmatters, the liquids of said materials being expressed,while the solidmaterials are discharged in a dry form for various uses.

The invention is especially useful in the handling of fish ofial and isfound especially helpful in taking care of the refuse at fishanneriesand the like, making it possible to utilize materials which haveheretofore generally been. thrown away. .111 this manner fish-oil isobtained from these materials, and the dry portions may beutilized forfertilizing purposes.

.In the accompanying d rawings is illustrated my improved form of pressand cooker, in

which an inclosing casing 1 is employed, provided with a suitable cover2 for entirely inclosing the apparatus within. The casing 1 formed witha curved bottomfi, which is preferably inclined from one end of theeasingto the other, as shown in Fig. 1. A semicircular screen ofcomparatively line mesh, as ids mounted in the casing 1 a short distanceabove the collecting-floor 3 at the bottom. Above the screen t isarranged a tubular cylindrical casing 5, which is preferably constructedof material sufficiently strong to form a portion of the press, the saidmaterial being perforated, as shown, in order to permit of theextraction of the liquids from the material pressed. The tubular screen5 thus formed surrounds a plunger or piston head 6, which reciprocatestherein, the said piston-head being carried by a piston-rod 7, whichprojects from one end of the tubular screen through a bearing 8, formedin the casing 1. The end of the tubular screen 5 adjacent to the bearing8 is closed by the wall of the casing 1, as shown in Fig. 1, while atthe other end an opening is made in the casing 1 of the same diameter asthat of the screen-tube 5. This opening is normally closed by a head ordoor 9, which may be fastened into place by bolts or other fastenings,as desired, the said fastenings being capable of removal for opening theend of thetubular screen when desired. Above the screen press-tube 5 ahopper 10 is arranged within the casing 1, the said hopper having sidesprojecting toward an outlet-opening 11 at the bottom. The mouth oroutlet of the hopper is arranged above the central portion of thepress-tube 5, as clearly shown in the drawings. The upper portion of thescreen press-tube 5 is cut away beneath the mouth of the hopper and alsofrom said hopper to the end wall of the caslng 1, which carries the 5over the mouth of the hopper and prevent any i bearing 8. The hopper 11is made of a suitable depth to receive a quantity of materials to beoperated upon, and a stirring mechanism is mounted within the hopper foragitating materials placed therein, comprising a shaft 12, which extendslongitudinally through the hopper, passing out through the end walls ofthe hopper and finding bearings, as at 13 and 14:, in the end walls ofthe casing 1. One end of the shaft 12 extends beyond the bearing 18 asufficient distance to receive a pulley 15, by which the shaft may berotated. The shaft 12 carries at its central portion and within thehopper 10 a series of fans or paddles 16, which extend nearly the fulllength of the hopper, so as to be capable of thoroughly agitating all ofthe material placed therein. A revolution of the shaft 12 by means ofits pulley 15 will cause a movement of the fans or paddles 16 within thehopper when it is desired to stir the material therein.

The piston 6 is provided with an annular flange 17 adjacent to itspressing-face, which flange 17 is thus in position to engage a slide orcover 18, arranged beneath the hopper 10 and adapted to close its mouthor outlet 11. The cover or slide 18 is formed of a curved body portion19, having upwardly-bent side wings or flanges 20, which fit against theinclined sides of the hopper 10 and assist in guiding the slide in itsmovement. hen the piston 6 is retractedthat is to say,- is drawn towardthe bearing 8, so that material may be deposited in front of it from thehopper lO the slide 18 is engaged by the flange 17 of the piston andmoves from beneath the mouth of the hopper, so as to permit a dis chargeof materials therefrom. The slide is drawn beneath the mouth of thehopper again when the piston is moved forward to perform the pressingoperation by means of a catch 21, which is pivoted to the under side ofthe slide 18. The catch normally drops into engagement with a detent 22,carried by the piston 6, so that when the piston is forced forwardly inthe press-tube 5 the slide 18 will be carried with it. One end of thecatch 22, however, is connected with a steel tape or wire 23, which isfastened to the spring-actuated winding drum or pulley 2 1, mounted inthe end of the casing 1 adjacent to the bearing 8. The tension of thespring pulley or drum 2 1 is just suficient to take up any slack in thetape 23, but not sufficient to disengage the latch from the detent.\Vhen, however, the slide 18 has been moved to its position beneath themouth of the hopper 10, the tape 23 will have been pulled from thepulley or drum 24 its entire length, so that the catch 21 will then beraised and disengaged from the detent 22 by the pull of the tape 23. Inthis manner the slide will be released from the piston 6, and as thepiston travels toward the door or cover 9 it will leave the slide 18material dropping from the hopper behind the said piston. When thepiston is retracted again, so that the flange 17 engages the edge of theslide 18 and begins to move it, the strain upon the tape 23 will beslackened, and the catch 21 will be permitted to drop into engagementwith the detent 22 again, ready to draw the slide forwardly upon thenext reciprocation of the piston.

The piston is moved by any suitable pressure applied to the piston rod'7 and when forced toward the door 9 will press materials in thepress-tube 5 against the door 9, extracting oil or other liquids fromthe material placed in the press-tube and permitting it to drain throughupon the screen 4 and therefrom to the collecting-floor 3. The liquidsmay be removed from the collectingfloor 3 through a draw-off cook 25 atsuitable intervals. The movement of the piston 6 is facilitated by guidebars or rods 26, arranged within the screen press-tube 5 and engagingnotches or recesses 27, formed in the opposite sides of the flange 17.These rods so guide the movement of the piston that great friction isobviated and the movement of the piston is rendered free and smooth.These guides also prevent the piston from wearing upon the press-tube toany great extent.

In handling many kinds of material it is best and sometimes necessary toheat or cook the contents of the hopper 10 and the presstube 5. 1preferably employ steam for this purpose, introducing the same throughthe pipe 28, which is arranged to extend around the walls of the hopper10, preferably just above the delivery-mouth thereof. This ring ofpiping 28 is perforated to permit of the escape of steam in alldirections within the casing, the said ring 28 being supplied with steamthrough an inlet-pipe 29.

In operation the material to be treated is placed in the hopper 10,after which the cover 2 of the casing is putin position. The mouth ofthe hopper is kept closed a suitable length of time by means of theslide 18, while the agitator is rotated by means of the shaft 12 tothoroughly stir the material in the hopper. Steam is turned on at thesame time, so as to thoroughly cook and soften the material in thehopper. After the material has been treated in this manner a suitablelength of time the plunger 6 is retracted so as to move the slide 18from beneath the mouth of the hopper and the material is discharged intothe press-tube 5. The plunger is then forced against said material, theslide 18 being brought forwardly at the same time to prevent materialdropping behind the plunger. The action of the steam preserves thematerials in a heated condition while being pressed, and this isespecially useful when fish offal is being treated, as the glue presentin such materials will quickly harden if it becomes cool and wouldprevent the proper operation of mass? the mechanism. The oils or othermaterials pressed from the material in the press-tube 3 screen 4. Theliquids may, as above stated, he removed through the draw-oil cock 25whenever it is desirable or necessary. When the solid material in thepress-tube has been suiiiciently pressed, the slide or door 9 isremoved, and the plunger or piston 6 is moved forward to force the sameout of the end of the casing. Such dry material may then be used forfertilizing purposes. The entire contents f the casing l is keptproperly heated by the steam during the entire operation, so thatingredients which may have a tendency to congeal when cool will not bepermitted to congeal and are prevented from clogging the operation ofthe mechanism.

It will be evident that the details of con struction may be modifiedwithin the spirit of the invention, for any suitable means may beemployed, for instance, in controlling the exit of material from thehopper l0, and any suitable agitating mechanism may be used within thehopper as may be found most desirable.

.lilaving thus fully described my invention, what I. claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A press mechanism comprisinga feedinghopper, an elongated tubularscreen provided with an opening in one side, means for feeding materialthrough said opening, a plunger recim-ocating within the screen, a loosecover for closing the inlet-opening when the plunger is pressingmaterial in the tube, upwardlyprojecting guide-flanges thereon partiallyembracing said hopper, and means for connecting the cover with theplunger at the proper time for closing the inlet-opening.

2. A pressing mechanism comprising a casing, a perforated receptaclemounted therein having an inlct-opening in one side, a cover for closingsaid opening, aplungernioving in said perforated receptacle, means forconnecting the cover with the plunger or disconnecting it therefrom foractuating the cover in correspondence with the movement oi? the plunger,and means for releasing said connecting means when the cover has reacheda predetermined position.

3. A press comprising a perforated casing, a plunger reciprocatingtherein, the said casing being provided with a lateral opening at asuitable distance from the pressing end of the casing, means for closingthe said opening comprising a slide, means carried by the slide forengaging the plunger, and means for disconnecting the slide from theplunger during the pressing operation.

A press nu-achanism comprising a per t'orated press-receptacle, aplunger reciprocating therein, the press-retmptacle having aninlet-opening through one side thereof, a slide for covering the openingwhen the prr-zssing operation is being accomplished, a flange upon theplunger i'or mshiug the slide away from the opening, a latch forengaging the plunger and pulling the slide over the opening again, andmeans for disconnecting the latch when the plunger passes into thepressing end of the receptacle.

5. A press mechanism comprising a casing, a tubular screen mountedtherein, a piston moving in the screen, a teed-hopper arranged todischarge material into the tubular screen through the side thereof,means for controlling the discharge of material into the tubular screencomprising a slide having a curved body portion and guiding edgeflanges, a latch carried by the slide and engaging the piston, aspring-actuated tape for controlling the action of the latch and aflange upon the piston for moving the slide in one direction.

6. Apressing mechanism comprising a casing, a perforated press-tubemounted therein, said press-tube being perforated substantiallythroughout its length, ateed-hopper mounted above the press-tube fordelivering materials thereto, an agitator in said hopper, and means fordelivering steam or other heating agent into the casing below saidagitator so as to surround the hopper and the press-tube :tor cookingand heating the substance to be pressed.

7. A press mechanism comprising a casing, an elongated perforatedcylinder mounted therein having an inlet-opening at about the centralportion of said tube, a plunger reciprocating in the tube, a cover forclosing the inlet-opening provided with guide-tlanges, a feed hopperextending partially into the mouth of the opening and engaging t] 10flanges of the cover for guiding it in its movement, and means forintermittently connecting the plunger with the cover for operating it.

8. A press mechanism comprising an inclosure, a tubular press-screenmounted within the same, a hopper above the press-screen, anddischarging through the opening in the upper side of the said screen, asliding cover for closing the said opening, a piston moving in thepress-screen formed with an annular flange at one end arranged to engagethe end of the cover and means for connecting the cover with the pistontogether with means for automatically releasing it therefrom.

9. A press mechanism COHlPl'lSll'lg a closure, an elongated perforatedpress -screeu mounted therein,a piston moving in said pressscreen, thepress-screen having an opening formed in its upper side, a hopper fordischarging material into said opening, a slideior controlling thedischarge of such n'iaterial, a latchcarried by the slide and adapted toengage a keeper mounted on the piston, a tape 4; wage? connected Withone end of the latch, aspring- In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix myactuated drum for Winding in the tape, the signature in presence of twoWitnesses. latch being operated When the tape 1s pulled ANDRE, JKETELSEN to its full length to release it from the plun- 5 ger and meansfor returning the slide in an Witnesses:

opposite direction to that in which it is moved Gr. VVARD KEMP, by thelatch. L. C. MAssIE.

